Compared to the melting points of ionic compounds, the melting points of molecular solids tend to be ____.

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Question restatement: Compared to the melting points of ionic compounds, the melting points of molecular solids tend to be ____.
Option 1: similar. This would imply molecular solids and ionic solids have comparable melting temperatures, which is generally not the case because ionic lattices produce very strong electrostatic bonds that require substantial energy to disrupt. Therefore, saying they are similar lacks support from typical solid-state chemistry.
Option 2: unpredictable. While there are some variations among molecular solids depending on their specific intermolecular forces, the overall trend is that ionic solids melt at higher temperatures due to strong ionic bonds. Describing the melting points as unpredictable ignores the well-established influence of bond strength and lattice energy in solids.
Option 3: lower. This aligns with the standard distinction: ionic compounds are held together by strong ionic attractions in a crystal lattice, leading to high melting points, whereas molecular solids rely on weaker intermolecular forces (dispersion, dipole-dipole, hydrogen bonding in some cases), resulting in substantially lower melting points. This is the core reason for the observed difference.
Option 4: higher. Claiming molecular solids melt at higher temperatures would contradict the fundamental difference in bonding strength between ions in an ionic lattice and molecules held together by comparatively weaker intermolecular forces, making this option incorrect.
In summary, the key concept is that lattice energy and ionic bonding in ionic compounds produce much higher melting points than the typically governed intermolecular forces in molecular solids, which explains why the correct choice is 'lower' and why the other options do not fit the established trend.

Compared to the melting points of ionic compounds, the melting points of molecular solids tend to be ____.

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Compared to the melting points of ionic compounds, the melting points of molecular solids tend to be ____.

View Explanation

Log in for full answers

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Choose which of the following statements explains why benzoic acid is soluble in water.[Fill in the blank]

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